George Dangerfield facts for kids

George Bubb Dangerfield (born October 28, 1904, in Newbury, Berkshire, England – died December 27, 1986, in Santa Barbara, California, USA) was a British-American writer and historian. He also worked as a literary editor for Vanity Fair magazine from 1933 to 1935. Dangerfield is most famous for his book The Strange Death of Liberal England (1935). This book explains how the Liberal Party in Great Britain struggled with major issues between 1906 and 1914. These issues included problems with the House of Lords, women wanting the right to vote, the situation in Ireland, and workers' unions. His book about the early 19th century in the United States, The Era of Good Feelings, won the important Pulitzer Prize for History in 1953.

Who Was George Dangerfield?

George Dangerfield was a talented writer who focused on history. He wrote about important times and changes in both British and American history. His books are known for their lively writing style and deep analysis.

Early Life and Education

Dangerfield was born in Berkshire, England. He went to Forest School in Walthamstow. He once wrote that his first memory was seeing Halley's Comet in 1910. In 1927, he earned his degree from Hertford College, Oxford. In 1930, he moved to the United States. He married Mary Lou Schott in 1941 and became an American citizen in 1943.

Writing About History

Dangerfield wrote several important history books. He had a special way of looking at past events and explaining them clearly.

The Strange Death of Liberal England

Dangerfield's book The Strange Death of Liberal England (1935) describes how the Liberal Party in Britain struggled. They found it hard to deal with growing demands from different groups. These included Irish people who wanted independence or to stay with Britain, factory workers, and suffragettes (women fighting for the right to vote). When the book first came out, many academic historians didn't pay much attention to it. However, over time, it became very popular because of its exciting style and strong ideas.

The Era of Good Feelings

After serving in World War II, Dangerfield returned to writing history. He wrote The Era of Good Feelings (1952). This book covers the period in American history between the presidencies of James Madison and Andrew Jackson. It spans from the start of the War of 1812 until Jackson became president in 1829. Dangerfield described this time as a shift. It moved from the idea that the government should do very little to the idea that it sometimes needs to help those who are weak or treated unfairly. This book won two major awards in 1953: the Bancroft Prize and the Pulitzer Prize for History. He later wrote another book about this period, The Awakening of American Nationalism: 1815–1828 (1965).

Later Life and Other Works

In 1941, Dangerfield published a book about the early life of Edward VII, titled Victoria's Heir: The Education of a Prince. In 1970, he received a special award called a Guggenheim Fellowship. This award allowed him to travel to Europe for research. He collected information in the UK and Ireland for his last book. This book was called The Damnable Question: A Study of Anglo-Irish Relations. It was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1976.

Family Life

George Dangerfield had two daughters, Mary Jo Lewis and Hilary Fabre, and one son, Anthony. He passed away from leukaemia in Santa Barbara, California. He had taught there for a few years at the University of California, Santa Barbara.